Well pumping apparatus



March 24, 1953 E. w. MONG WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1947 I'd l5 Edgar h any y/zrve'mor Affari; ey

@f4/MM Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL PUMPINGAPPARATUSI Edgar WrMo'ng, Los Angeles, Calif.

Applicationgilaiuary '15, 1947, Serial No. 722,279

:3 Claims. (Cl.A 10B-211) This invention has to do with lWell pumpingapparatus and it is a 'general object of the in-v vention to provideapparatus useful in wellsV producing heavy or viscous nuids whichtend toretard `normal pumping operations. It is common to remove the pumpfluids such vas oil from wells by means of reciprocating pumps. Whenthis type of equipment 'is used the pump is located in the 'well to Abesubmerged in the lfluid to be pumped and 'it has a reciprocatingpartnwith a reciprocating plunger or a 'reciprocating vbarrel operatedby a sucker rod that extends'fto the top of the well. The sucker rod is`commonly voperated or reciprocated at its upper end by means 'of awalking beam and the arrangement of parts is such that the force appliedfrom the walking beam acts `to pull the rod upwardly to lift thereciprocating part of the pump Aand consequently elevate iluid that hasentered the pump. Gravity is relied upon to lower the reciprocating partand ordinarily the force of gravity is sufcient to overcome the dragthat tends to retard downward movement of the reciprocating parts. Wherethe fluid vbeing handled is -heavy or viscous the rod submerged in theviscous fluid carried in the tubing extending from the pump to the topof the wellis 'retarded by the fluid so that it is very slow to returnor move downward following operation by the walking beam. The rod beinglong "and slender, return or downward movement of the walking beam hasbut little influence upon the rod duringthe return or down stroke.Attempts havebeen made to lovercome the dimculty above outlined, usuallyby vintroducing light fluids intended to eut- 'or dilute the'uid fromthe well' or by helatingthe fluids in the well.

It is a general object of my lpresent invention yto provide a mechanicalmeans at or 'near the pump operable to vexert downward pressure on thereciprocating element of the pump so that its return or down stroke isnot dependent upon the action of gravity alone. Y

Another object of the `present invention is to' provide a device forreturning the 'reciprocate ing part of a well pump which acts on thepump part to supplement the action of gravity acting on that part andtherod that operates that part withoutfin any way interfering with or'impairf ing the normal tendency of the pump part and rod toreturnthrough the action of gravity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachmentapplicable to a well pump or lto well pumping apparatus which involves aminimum number 'of Yparts ywhich fare' simple 2 anddep'endable'inoperation. The structure'"pro vided by the presentinvention is characterized bya single, simple helical'spring applied tothe pumping apparatus to normally yieldingly act downwardly on thereciprocating pump part to exert a downward or return pressure thereon.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description 'of typical preferred'forms'and 'applications of the invention, through'L out whichdescription'referenc'e is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a View illustrating a typical 4well equipped with pumpingapparatus. Fig. 2 is'an enlarged longitudinal detailed sectional viewtaken at the upper end portion of the well pump showing the structurethat I have provided to 'act in conjunction with the reciprocating partsoi the pumping apparatus. Fig. 3 is anenlarged, detailed transversesectional view takenas indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is anenlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 44 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 showinganother form of my invention wherein the return spring that I provideacts directly upon the pump part to be returned.

My present invention is intended for use in connection with or forapplication to well `pump'- ing apparatus of the type ordinarilyemployedfto handle well fluids, thatfis, it is intended primarily vforuse with 'apparatusinvolving a well pump of the reciprocating type,veither the working barrel type or working plunger type.

"In the 'apparatusillu'strated in the `drawings there is awell casingvA. extending from the derrick B into the well 'here 'and 'a tubing C -scarried by a head I0 at the upper `end of the cas'- ing and extendsdownwardly through the casing into the portion ofthe well from which thefluid is to be drawn. An operating or sucker rod D extends downwardlythrough the tubing toope'rate the pump E at the lower end of the tubing.A polish rod Il at the upper end of the rod D op# -erates through asuitable 'stufiing b'oX 'I2 and a rod operating mechanism is provided atthe deryrick. The particular operating mechanism illustrated involves awalking beam I3 actuated Aby a suitable operating mechanism. le. The'particular pump E illustrated in the drawings involves a reciprocatingelement l5 `at the upper end of which there'is a 'working valve'A i6.The lower end of the rod D is joined or connected to :the cage of the pi In ac'eordanee with lmyv'presentinvention yI provide a resilientmember preferably a springY 20 at or near the pump E to normallyyieldingly urge the reciprocating element I5 of the pump downwardly. Inaccordance with the broader principles of my invention the reciprocatingpart of the pump and the rod D coupled thereto form a reciprocating uniturged downwardly by the spring 20. In the form of the inventionillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings the spring 20 acts throughthelower end portion of the rod D in urging the reciprocating part l5 ofthe pump downwardly whereas in Fig. 5 of the drawings the spring actsdirectly on the part I5 of the pump. The spring 20 is preferably ahelical compression spring of substantial length freely tting within thetubing C. The convolutions of the spring are spaced so that the springcan be compressed a substantial amount, the structure being proportionedso that the spring can compress an amount somewhat in excess ofthevstroke of the reciprocating part I5 of the pump. Y

In accordance with my invention the upper end portion of the spring 2Bbears on a seat ring 3) carried in the tubing C. YThe seat ring isprovided to present a downwardly facing` shoulder SI against which theupper end of the spring 20 abuts, In practice the seat ring may beapplied to or mounted in the tubing in any suitable manner. In theparticular case illustrated the tubing C involves sections 32 joined bycouplings 33 and the seat ring 3B is located in a coupling 33 where itis confined between the ends of the sections 32 applied to the coupling.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings thelower end of spring 20 bears downwardly against a stop G applied to therod D at or near the pump E. In the drawings I have shown the stop QBlocated on the rod somewhat above the pump and I have shown the stop asa sectional collar involving sections joined by suitable fasteners 52.The fasteners G2 may be bolts by which the sections of the collar areclamped tightly on the rod D at the desired point along the rod. Thepreferred form of collar involves circumferentially spaced peripheralrecesses 43 carrying rollers 44 mounted on pins 45 which rollers project'outwardly from the collar to engage the Vinner wall d5 of the tubing.The rollers provide antifriction means on the collar reducing orminimizing friction and wear between the collar and the tubing. Throughthe split collar vconstruction the stop against which the spring bearsloan -be adjusted along the rod D so that it is Alocated at the desiredpoint relative to the seat 3i) in vorder to relate the parts so that thespring 2G has the desired action.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig, 5 the upper end of thespring 253 may be seated against a seat ring the same as shown in Fig.2. In this form of the invention the lower end of the spring 2B insteadof acting on the reciprocating element of the pump through a stop 4B anda portion of the rod D, acts direct-V iy on the reciprocating part ofthe pump. It will be observed that in this form of the invention thelower end of the spring seats directly on the cage of valve I6, which isa part of the 'reciprocating element of the pump. With the constructionthat I have provided the `pumpingapparatus will handle very heavy orthick oil or other fluid that would otherwise retard Vpumping .action'orrender it completely impractical. With my apparatus the rod andreciprocating element of the pump are moved upwardly through the actionof the walking beam in the manner common to well pumping equipment, andwhen the walking beam has reached the top of its stroke and starts downit exerts downward pressure on the upper end of the rod at the same timethat gravity, acting on the element I5 and the rod, and the load offluid above the reciprocating'element I5, tend to move the element I5downwardly; These forces tending to move the reciprocating pump elementdownwardly are supplemented by the downward pressure exerted by thespring 2i) to the end that the downward movement or return of thereciprocating element I5 of the pump is speeded up. The structure that Ihave provided acts to hold the rod under tension so that it' is straightand by holding the rod straight in the tubing wear on the rod and on thewall of the tubing is minimized. J v

By proper proportioning and application of the spring 25 the pump actionis speeded up to the point where practical pumping operations can becarried on under circumstances vthat would be otherwise very slow anddiicult, if not totally impractical. It is to be understood, of course,that in operating the structure that I have provided the action may besupplemented by means ordinarily employed when-handling very heavy orviscous iluids, that is, dilution of the pump fluid or heating thereofmay be resorted to as circumstances may require. However, under ordinarycircumstances the action of ordinary pumping equipment, supplemented bythe spring that I have provided, will speed up operation suiiicient forpractical production.

Certain elements of the structure above de. scribed are disclosed instructure set forth and claimed in my copending application entitledWell Pumping Apparatus Involving a Sucker Rod led January l5, 1947,vSerial No. 722,280, now PatentA No. 2,536,982. v

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish-to reserve to myself any variationsor modications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An attachment for well pumping equipment having a tubing extendinginto the well from the -top thereof and a pump operating rod extendingdownwardly in the tubing from its upper end including, a unitary seatring defining a round opening passing the rod with clearance, the outerperipheral portion of the ring being applicable to the tubing, `the ringforming a fixed abutment in the tubing removed from `the upper end ofthe tubing, a stop clamp applicable to the rod forming a fixed abutmentthereon/below the ring, and a helical compression spring surrounding therod and having its upperend engaging the seatand its lower endrengagingthe stop clamp, the clamp including separable sections and screw meansselectively setting the. sections on the rod. l

2. YAn attachment for well pumping equipment having a tubingextendinginto the well from the vtop thereof vand a pump operating rodextending the seat, anda compression spring having its upper endengaging the seat and its lower end engaging the stop clamp, the clampincluding separable sections, means securing the sections togetheraround the rod, and anti-friction rollers carried by the sections andprojecting therefrom.

3. In combination, a well tubing having sections of equal diameter and aunitary coupling collar internally threaded at its ends and receivingopposing ends of the sections, a pump carried by the tubing and having areciprocating part, an operating rod for said part Within the tubing andextending to the top of the well, a seat ring fixed in the tubing abovesaid part, a stop clamp set on the rod below the seat, and a compressionspring engaged between the seat and the stop clamp, the clamp havingseparable rod engaging parts and screw means selectively REFERENCESCITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 91,943 Kock June 29, 1869 363,721Brewer May 24, 1887 875,372 Palm Dec. 31, 1907 940,347 McCarthy et al.Nov. 16, 1909 1,531,697 Hopkins et al. Mar. 31, 1925 2,065,541 Schaer eta1 Dec. 29, 1936 2,075,428 Dickson Mar. 30, 1937

